Licio Lucchesi
Licio Lucchesi (1923-1980) was an Italian mafioso and businessman who was the founder and chairman of the board of Internazionale Immobiliare, the world's largest real estate company by the 1970s. He was murdered in 1980. Biography Licio Lucchesi was born in Sicily in 1923, and he founded the real estate business Internazionale Immobiliare, also serving as its chairman of the board. Lucchesi also developed significant ties to the Sicilian Mafia, and became an important figure in Italian politics. Lucchesi was a member of the secretive Propaganda Due society, and he had friends in high places. In 1979, along with Archbishop Liam Gilday and Swiss banker Frederick Keinszig, he conspired to swindle wealthy American businessman Michael Corleone out of hundreds of millions of dollars to pay off the Vatican Bank's $750 million deficit, which had been caused by the trio looting the treasury. Corleone offered to pay $600 million to cover the bank's deficit in exchange for controlling interest (including the Vatican's quarter) in Immobiliare, but Lucchesi had no intention of turning over Immobiliare to Corleone, and he had Gilday and Keinszig stall the deal, capitalizing on Pope Paul VI's illness to prevent the Pope from authorizing the sale. Lucchesi also conspired with Tattaglia crime family boss Osvaldo Altobello and Corleone crime family capo Joey Zasa to assassinate Michael Corleone in order to make Zasa the boss of the Corleone family, which would tie up loose ends for Lucchesi. Zasa attempted to wipe out The Commission in the "Atlantic City massacre", but he failed to kill either Corleone or his protege and nephew, Vincent Mancini, and he was soon murdered by Mancini. This was a relief for Lucchesi, as Zasa's media-seeking nature threatened their plans. Soon thereafter, Corleone and Mancini visited Sicily to attend the operatic debut of Corleone's son Anthony in Palermo, and Don Lionele Tommasino warned Corleone of Lucchesi's intentions. Corleone had Mancini pretend to be dissatisfied with him and seek to defect, and Altobello introduced Mancini to Lucchesi, who revealed his plot to him. Days later, Pope Paul died, and Pope John Paul I was elected. Lucchesi was frightened that the new Pope would authorize the Immobiliare deal and uncover the plot, and the Pope authorized the deal and began to investigate Keinszig's financial dealings. Lucchesi had Gilday poison the Pope's tea, but Corleone still remained strong, and he made Mancini the new boss of the Corleone family. Death Mancini plotted to wipe out the conspirators against his uncle, and he sent Tommasino's employee and Corleone's old friend and bodyguard Calo to assassinate Lucchesi. Calo was invited into Lucchesi's home and told him that he had a message for him, and he came close to Lucchesi and whispered in his ear, "Power wears out those who do not have it." He proceeded to stab Lucchesi in the neck with his own glasses, and Calo was immediately killed by Lucchesi's bodyguards. Category:1923 births Category:1980 deaths Category:Italians Category:Italian businessmen Category:Businessmen Category:Mafiosi Category:Crime bosses Category:Criminals Category:Christian Democracy members Category:Propaganda Due Category:Italian conservatives Category:Conservatives Category:Killed Category:Fascists Category:Italian fascists Category:Freemasons